KUALA LUMPUR – Face-to-face schooling sessions for educational institutions under the Education Ministry (MoE) in areas placed under the Movement Control Order (MCO) will only involve students sitting for major local examinations in 2020 and 2021, as well as equivalent international examinations.
The examinations include Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM), Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM), Sijil Kemahiran Malaysia (SKM), Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM), Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia (STAM) and Diploma Vokasional Malaysia (DVM).
For areas under the Conditional MCO (CMCO) or Recovery MCO (RMCO), the operation of educational institutions and all categories of Private Educational Institutions (IPS) registered with the MoE including international schools would be based on the calendars of the respective institutions.
MoE in a statement today informed that students of boarding schools in MCO areas sitting for the examinations were allowed to return to their hostels from January 16, and a special letter of permission would be issued by the school to enable the students to travel to the hostel.
“Besides that, all primary school students and those from Form 1 to Form 4 in secondary schools in areas under the MCO will learn through the Teaching and Learning at Home (PdPR) method according to the suitability of teachers and students from January 20.
“This ruling also applies to Semester 2 SVM and Semester 2 DVM students (2020 intake) at Vocational Colleges,” according to the ministry’s statement.
The statement added that for the Special School Admission Assessment (PKSK) to Form 1, registered candidates who had not yet sat for the assessment would do so between January 20 to 29.
For admission to Form 4, the assessment will be held between February 15 to 25, and a special letter will be issued by the MoE to enable the candidates to cross states or districts to go to the designated assessment centre.
In the meantime, the statement said all teachers must return to their respective work stations before January 20.
“Teachers involved in the SPM / SVM / SKM / STPM / STAM / DVM examinations for 2020 and 2021 in areas under the MCO need to attend school for face-to-face teaching and learning sessions.
“The school will issue a special letter of permission to enable teachers to cross states or districts to be present at the schools,” the statement added.
In addition, matriculation programme students who were in colleges in areas under the MCO would need to stay in their respective colleges to follow hybrid learning.
While students of teacher education institutes (IPG) in MCO areas will have their study programmes online from January 17.
MoE, however, stated that all private kindergartens registered with the ministry could continue to operate face-to-face.
It also urged all schools that were not registered with the MoE, including those under the respective state governments to follow the directives set by the ministry. – Bernama, January 11, 2021
